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Books written by Francis X. Hezel, SJ, on history and social change. Click on the title of the book for a more detailed description, book reviews, and ordering information.

  Micronesian Government: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Micronesian Government: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Micronesian Government: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow Micronesian Government: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: A Micronesian Civics Textbook
Written by Josh Levy. Edited by Francis X. Hezel, S.J.
Pohnpei: FSM Department of Education, 2008. 315 pp.

This textbook focuses less on how the modern democratic government operates today than on how it evolved over time. It begins with the traditional authority systems in different island groups and then tracks the changes that impacted up to the present.


  The New Shape of Old Island Cultures
The New Shape of Old Island Cultures

The New Shape of Old Island Cultures The New Shape of Old Island Cultures
By Francis X. Hezel, S.J.
Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2001. 198 pp.

How have Micronesian cultures changed since World War II? This book presents a pointed synthesis of important changes from the Marshall Islands to Palau, ranging from family structure, land and gender roles to the cultural treatment of life events (birth, marriage, death). This book draws on the author's own real-life experiences and anthropological literature.


  Strangers in Their Own Land

Strangers in Their Own Land Strangers in Their Own Land: A Century of Colonial Rule in the Caroline and Marshall Islands
By Francis X. Hezel, S.J.
Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1995. 467 pp.

The volume, covering the period from 1886 to 1986, presents the drama of social change in Micronesia under four flags: Spanish, German, Japanese and American. The book chronicles the attempt of each administration to bring the �blessings of civilization� and the varied responses of island people.


  The First Taint of Civilization

The First Taint of Civilization The First Taint of Civilization: A History of the Caroline and Marshall Islands in Pre-Colonial Days, 1521-1885
By Francis X. Hezel, S.J.
Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1983. 365 pp.

A spirited tale of early exchanges between Micronesians and the West�from early Spanish explorers through 19th century whalers, traders, missionaries and beachcombers to the warship captains that planted the first foreign flags on the islands.


  Micronesia: Winds of Change

Micronesia: Winds of Change Micronesia: Winds of Change. A Book of Readings on the History of Micronesia
Edited by Francis X. Hezel, S.J. and Mark Berg
Saipan 1980. 365 pp.

This coffee-table book is well illustrated with photos and drawings depicting the islands� journey to modern times. Introductory essays link first-hand accounts by foreigners describing what they saw or did in the islands. The book embraces 400 years of history, from Magellan to US naval administration in early 1950s.


  Foreign Ships in Micronesia

Foreign Ships in Micronesia  Foreign Ships in Micronesia: A Compendium of Ship Contacts with the Caroline and Marshall Islands, 1521-1885
By Francis X. Hezel, S.J.
Saipan: Trust Territory Printing Office, 1979. 185pp.

A list of all recorded ship visits to the islands prior to early foreign rule, with information on the ship, its master and mission, and what of note happened during the visit. The book has an extensive bibliography and index.


  The Catholic Church in Micronesia

 The Catholic Church in Micronesia The Catholic Church in Micronesia: Historical Essays on the Catholic Church in the Caroline-Marshall Islands
By Francis X. Hezel, S.J.
Micronesian Seminar: 2003.

A simply told story of the founding and growth of the Catholic Church in each island group, with lists of missionary personnel, local clergy, and parish churches appended. This book was prepared for the centennial of the church in each island group.


  From Conquest to Colonization

 From Conquest to Colonization  From Conquest to Colonization: Spain in the Mariana Islands 1690 to 1740
By Francis X. Hezel, S.J.
Saipan: CNMI Divison of Historical Preservation, 1989. 78pp.

The fifty year period between 1690 and 1740 is extremely significant in the history of the Mariana Islands, although it has heretofore received little scholarly attention. Utilizing contemporary letters and reports penned by Jesuit missionaries who served in the islands, this book examines the major events of this period and their effects on traditional Chamorro society.


  Truk Underwater Archaeology
Truk Underwater Archaeology

Truk Underwater Archaeology Truk Underwater Archaeology
By Francis X. Hezel, S.J., and Clark Graham
San Francisco: U.S. National Park Service, 1997. 50 pp.

The sunken Japanese fleet in Chuuk has become a world famous diving attraction for scuba enthusiasts. The sunken ships, bombed during the US counteroffensive against Japan in 1944, constitute a museum and a valuable asset for the Federated States of Micronesia. This book is an introduction to this museum, as well as to the events that produced the museum and the efforts that have made to preserve it from the depredations of humans and nature.